Public Sector Employment in Scotland Statistics for 4th Quarter 2012

Introduction

The statistics in this release are based on administrative records and surveys of individual public sector bodies carried out by the Scottish Government and the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The publication includes information on public sector employment in Scotland with distinctions made for employment in devolved bodies and reserved bodies (located in Scotland).

Some of the key points (based on headcount) are as follows:

• In Q4 2012 there were 580,400 people employed in the public sector in Scotland, a decrease of 10,300 (1.7%) since Q4 2011.
• There were 2,468,000 people in employment in Scotland in Q4 2012, an increase of 4,900 (0.2%) from 2,464,000 in Q4 2011. In Q4 2012 public sector employment accounted for 23.5% of total employment, down from 24.0% in Q4 2011 and down from 24.2% in Q4 1999 (In 1999 financial institutions were not included in the public sector).
• In Q4 2012, there were 1,888,100 people employed in the private sector in Scotland, an increase of 15,100 (0.8%) over the year. Private sector employment in Scotland accounts for 76.5% of all those in employment; up from 76.0% in Q4 2011.
• Of the total 580,400 people employed in the public sector in Scotland, 485,100 (83.6%) is accounted for by public sector employment devolved to Scotland and 95,200 (16.4%) relates to reserved public sector employment.
• Total employment in the devolved public sector has decreased from 489,700 in Q4 2011 to 485,100 in Q4 2012, a decrease of 4,500 (0.9%). This decrease has been driven by a decrease in total local government employment; down 5,100 (1.8%), employment in further education colleges; down 800 (5.0%) and the civil service; down 200 (0.9%) over the year.
• In the last year across the devolved public sector there were increases in the NHS, up 1,400 (0.9%) and public corporations, up 100 (1.6%). Employment in other public bodies remained unchanged over the year. This increase seen in employment in the NHS and some of the decrease in Local Government can be accounted for by recent transfers of staff between councils and Health Boards as part of the move to integrated health and social care services.
• Employment in the reserved public sector (located in Scotland) has decreased by 5,700 (5.7%) since Q4 2011. Within the reserved public sector the largest changes were for Public Sector Financial Institutions decreasing by 2,700 (8.7%). The reserved civil service also decreased over the year by 1,500 (5.0%), the armed forces decreased by 700 (6.4%) and public corporations decreased by 600 (3.0%).
• Within the reserved civil service, the decrease included: Ministry of Defence decreasing by 900 (16.8%), HM Revenues and Customs decreasing by 500 (5.5%) and the Scotland Office decreased by 10 (10.7%). Other civil service decreased by 1,500 (33.0%), due to staff transfers to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) from Q3 2012 onward. DWP increased by 1,300 (12.6%) over the year.
• If banks were not included in the series:
• o Total public sector employment would have decreased by slightly less, 7,600 (1.4%), instead of 10,300 (1.7%) over the year.
• o Employment in the reserved public sector in Scotland would have decreased by 3,000 (4.3%) instead of by 5,700 (5.7%) over the year.

N.B. Financial institutions are not included in the devolved public sector total.

Public Sector Employment Websection

This Websection is in addition to this National Statistics publication
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Labour-Market/PublicSectorEmployment

It contains detailed information including:

• Employment levels for public bodies in Scotland broken down by age (Q1 2012).
• Local government employment by local authority for the current quarter. A time series of total local government employment back to Q1 1999 for: police and related services and fire and related services separately and back to Q1 2011 by gender.
• Detailed tables showing a full time series of data - all quarters back to Q1 1999 - are also available to download.
• Background notes outlining the methodology used to compile this series.